In 2009 the production of steel is to decline by 25%

The Ministry of Industrial Policy predicts the decline in steel production by 24.5% -27.2%, or 9-10 million tons to 27-28 million tons in 2009. This was said at the International Conference "ITmk3 Family " by Deputy Minister of Industrial Policy Sergei Grishchenko.

"We believe that approximately 27-28 million tons of steel will be produced in Ukraine this year" - he said.

Grishchenko said that the steel industry is now working at 60-65% of capacity.

The Deputy Minister explained that the projected results can be achieved preserving such level of capacities and under conditions of orders from domestic metal products.

As reported in January, the State Enterprise "Ukrainian Industrial Export Examination Board" aggravated steel production forecasts from 31-33 million tons to 27 million in 2009.

In 2008, steel production fell by 13.4% or 5.7 million tons to 37.1 million tons compared to 2007.